Weinbrenner Shoe Co. secures deal to move out of downtown Marshfield
MARSHFIELD – The city of Marshfield and Weinbrenner Shoe Company agreed on a contract that will ultimately move the over 130-year-old company out of the city’s downtown.
The company has contracted with Ellis Construction of Stevens Point to build a $14.5 million manufacturing facility in the Mill Creek Business Park. The company will purchase the land and own the building after leasing from the city the property at 305 W. Third St., where it has operated since 1935.
“We’re committed to investing in domestic manufacturing and take great pride in being a Wisconsin-based company,” Jeff Burns, president of Weinbrenner Shoe Company, said. “Breaking ground on this new facility isn’t just about increasing capacity − it’s about making Weinbrenner Shoe Company a great place to work. These expansions have enabled us to sustain growth and meet the rising demand for Thorogood footwear.”
The new 70,000-square-foot facility was designed with a focus on employee health and productivity, according to a news release from the city. It will allow the company to add 35 more employees to its current 120-person workforce.
Construction on the facility, located south of the intersection of Commerce Drive and Cherry Street, is expected to begin in September. The contract lists a project completion date of Nov. 30, 2025.
To facilitate the move, the city of Marshfield is utilizing tax incremental financing to offer development incentives to Weinbrenner. Under the agreement, the city will make annual developer incentive payments beginning in 2027 for the prior tax year through the 27-year maximum life of the financing program or until the company recovers the minimum construction cost of the new facility. The contract defines the “minimum construction cost” for the project as at least $11 million.
The payments will only occur if the new facility is built by the planned completion date along with several other requirements listed by the contract. Payment to the company in the first year will equal 90% of their property taxes according to the value of the property after the facility is built. This is called its base value. In subsequent years, the property will likely gain value relative to its base value, which is called an increment. An increase in property value will increase the value of the incentive payment.
The company’s incentive payment in years after the first year will be the 90% of their base value taxes plus an additional amount equal to 50% of the taxes they pay for the increment, or the expected increase in property values. Property values may increase if surrounding properties receive investment in their value or if Weinbrenner expands further on their property.
“We could not be prouder as a community to have partnered with Weinbrenner to assist with incentives to ensure this great local employer stays right here in Marshfield and grows,” Mayor Lois TeStrake said. “Weinbrenner has employed hundreds of folks here in Marshfield over the years, and thankfully with their large investment and commitment to stay right here, we will be able to celebrate hundreds more over the years.”
Marshfield continues to carry out aspects of its Downtown Master Plan, which was established in 2015. In that plan, the Weinbrenner factory property and its 152,851-square-foot building was highlighted as “unsupportive downtown urban form, consider residential adaptive reuse.”
Steve Barg, city administrator, described to a Marshfield News-Herald reporter progress on the plan as phases.
The first phase of the project converted two-blocks of Second Street into one-ways for vehicle traffic, added angled parking and implemented several beautification features in 2016. The second phase was the construction of Wenzel Plaza in 2018.
The city began seeking proposals in 2021 for the third phase: a plan for the six blocks on either side of West Second Street in Marshfield’s downtown, which includes the property where Weinbrenner’s current facility exists. The phase aims to connect Central Avenue and Wenzel Plaza area to the Steve J. Miller Recreation Area.
Weinbrenner has many employees who are dedicated to the company and the community, which contributed to the company making the deal with the city, Barg said. He has spoken with several employees in recent weeks who have shared how they or family members had worked for the company for decades, including one who had been there for over 50 years.
“One of the reasons they wanted to stay in town is because they have a really dedicated workforce. They have very low turnover there, which is interesting because a lot of companies have high turnover,” Barg said. “That tells you they have got people who like it there, they are dedicated, it’s kind of a family atmosphere and it’s a good employer.”
While the completion date for the new facility is in November 2025, Weinbrenner’s lease on their downtown property runs through December 2025. The company may extend its lease into 2026 to complete its transition of operations.
The city has already received interest from companies looking to redevelop brick buildings like what sits on the Second Street property. Barg expects to hear from more companies interested in historical property redevelopment once more official planning processes begin.
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Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK – Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at [email protected].
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